Profile

Matt Mullan, the joint captain of Wasps in 2015/16 with James Haskell, had two stand-out moments in his career before making three appearances off the bench and helping England to the series win in Australia in June last year. He said: “Winning my first cap in Rome and singing the National Anthem at Twickenham were high spots in recent years.”

The esteem in which Worcester Warriors regarded Matt was reflected by a maiden Test appearance against Italy in February 2010 off the bench for Tim Payne. His career was then put on hold by a shoulder reconstruction following a freak training ground injury that prevented him from playing for the Warriors in 2011-12 until February 9 when he reappeared against Currie in the British & Irish Cup. His second cap was off the bench for Joe Marler against New Zealand in November 2013 and his third was against Italy at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome the following March.

Matt had been enlisted for Saxons training in January 2009 but missed the match against Portugal through a rearranged Premiership game and was again denied a debut when the match against Ireland A at Donnybrook was cancelled minutes before kick off because of frost.

Bromsgrove School educated Matt, who was born in Brighton, is among the rare breed of front row player who can figure at loose-head prop or hooker and in November 2009 was awarded an extended contract by Mike Ruddock, then the Worcester Warriors director of rugby.

A product of the Worcester Academy, he came to prominence in 2007-08 with 25 appearances for the club in all competitions, followed by 24 matches in 2008-09 but his senior debut had been in December 2005 against Newport Gwent Dragons in the Powergen Cup.

He has also shown try-scoring aptitude in the European Challenge Cup with his memorable one in the 24-7 away win over Montauban in January 2008 preceding two in the Bucuresti match only eight days later.

Matt’s Premiership debut for Worcester had been against London Irish in December 2007 and his two tries in 81 appearances for the club in the competition were against London Wasps, initially, in April 2008, and Leicester Tigers the following September.

His development, work rate and ball carrying skills alongside his scrummaging were acknowledged by awards in successive years at Sixways. He jointly collected the young player of the year prize for 2007-08 and then took the most improved player of the year kudos at the end of 2008-09.

Matt ended his Worcester career in May 2013 with 113 appearances overall and five tries. He joined Wasps that autumn and has since played in 86 Premiership matches for the Coventry based club. In June 2012, he toured with the senior England squad and started both midweek matches that produced victories over the respective South African Barbarians South and North sides. He also played in both Saxons games against Ireland Wolfhounds and Scotland A four years ago. Matt was an unused replacement in the first Test against the All Blacks at Eden Park in June 2014 before playing off the bench in the final two games at Dunedin and Hamilton. His initial Test start was when winning his tenth cap against Wales in the Old Mutual Wealth Cup at Twickenham in May last year and his total became 17 with an appearance off the bench for Ellis Genge in the series-clinching win over Argentina second Test at Santa Fe last June.